Perhaps, the biggest challenge I face on a day-to-day basis is getting my clients to eat enough protein. Virtually every goal – from fat loss to muscle growth – is dependent on consuming adequate levels of protein. Here are three quick tips to boost your protein consumption throughout the day.

1. Protein Snacks

When people reach for a midday snack they usually choose a high carbohydrate or fat option they find at the convenience store. Most of these snacks have little to no protein in them and the quality of the protein they do have is usually questionable.

A cheaper and healthier alternative is packing a high protein snack to take with you to work. My favorite option is hard boiled eggs, but foods like deli meat and canned tuna are great as well. These snacks are super quick and easy, while offering 10-20 grams of protein per serving.

2. Cook Protein in Bulk

After a long day at work, few people have the time or energy to thaw, prep, and cook a high protein meal. Most of the time, people instead go for the quick take-out option or a “ready in 15-minutes” box meal. Both of these options tend to be less than ideal for your daily protein needs.

A good way to get your protein at dinner, without spending an hour in the kitchen, is to cook all your protein in bulk ahead of time. By cooking in bulk 1-3 days a week, you are able to have protein readily available whenever you need it. Simply warm up your protein and add a side, and you have a healthy high protein meal ready in only a few minutes.

3. Protein Shakes

In a perfect world, we would get all of our protein from the foods we eat. In reality, this is not always practical. Adding in a protein shake to your daily routine is a fast, safe, and effective way to really up the amount of protein you are consuming. There are many options out there, so it is important to find a quality brand with a good amount of Branched-Chain Amino Acids (BCAA) per serving.